“This must stop,” she said, staring directly into the camera. “The abuse of women, the shaming of them, the threatening, the retaliation. The silencing of them after-the-fact.”

Kelly says she complained to Fox News about O’Reilly nearly a year ago, but network executives turned a deaf ear to her pleas.

O’Reilly has since been fired — but a New York Times report revealed that Fox was aware the shamed “O’Reilly Factor” host made a $32 million sexual harassment settlement when it resigned him in February to a four-year renewal worth $100 million.

More than just an embarrassment that Fox had hoped was in its rear-view mirror, the story could have costly consequences. Fox’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, is awaiting a decision by British regulators regarding its purchase of the Sky satellite television company, and the issue of Fox News’ management is being considered.

The longtime ratings kingpin made his first public statement Monday since the report ran, calling it “a hit job to get me out of the marketplace” during an appearance on Glenn Beck’s radio show.

O’Reilly said he handled just three human resources complaints during more than 20 years at Fox News, accusing the New York Times of disregarding information he sent to the newspaper.

“And the only reason I did solve them was to keep my children safe,” said O’Reilly, who also sent the conservative pundit thank you notes from Kelly and former anchor Gretchen Carlson.

“O’Reilly’s suggestion that no one ever complained about his behavior is false,” the NBC News anchor said Monday on her “Megyn Kelly Today.” “I know because I complained.”